To Trust None is to Live Half a Life
by MusicIsTheHeartAndSoul
Summary: "There comes a time, when you have to let go, all the words, all the teaching, and just trust the infinite." -Billy Doyle Set starting at the end of 1x07 when Callie confesses to Stef and Lena about the incident. Callie's walls are built up high, and to trust, is to tear them down. Maybe, just maybe, Brandon can be the one to get through.
1. Chapter 1

This idea just randomly came to me, and I decided to go with it. This one's a little heavy.

Idk.

Read and Review :)

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Stef and Lena's sad eyes were on her, and she couldn't take it.

She could feel the rapidly increasing beat of her own heart as they just _stared_ at her, stunned speechless at the depth of her confession. She braced herself for the biting words that would come from their mouths if she were to stay; after all, why would they want a whore like her to stay in their home with two teenage boys? Not that the sex was her choice, but didn't that just make it worse?

She was used; dirty; _ruined_.

She had kept it bottled up for so long and it all came spilling out—_damn Brandon _with his ability to open the lock to her mind. She hadn't told anyone before him; there was no need; and now, she was living that night over again, in her head, she felt the pain lashing out from her brain through her body. She wanted so badly just to re-lock the box of her memory, to forget; but _no one_ would forget, not now.

She still felt those eyes on her and the eerie silence.

Why wasn't the judgment coming? Just the stare, one she could not tell whether was cold or was warm, just piercing right through her. She felt Brandon's hand rubbing circles on her back, and she shook it off.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

Were the seconds getting faster, or was that just her heartbeat? A bead of sweat trickled down her head; they were speaking now_._ Not that she actually heard anything.

_Five more seconds and she was going to pass out._

She stood up abruptly, walking away from the questions, and their stupid sad eyes. She briefly turned back to face Brandon, whose face was softened and sympathetic, before whipping her head around, and slipping out the front door into the darkness. She took off down the street, no destination in particular crossing her mind, although, at the moment, nothing was crossing her mind.

_Nothing_, except Liam, her own screaming and blood-stains, the scars, that she still has, both mental and physical.

"Callie!" She heard faint voices calling for her; she walked _faster_. The voice was following her. She found herself being able to walk no further, as she had reached the end of a dock.

Only two choices—turn around or _jump off._

She chose neither, but instead, sat down, letting her legs dangle over the side. "Callie?" The voice was getting closer. "Go. _Away._" She whispered, harshly, and let her head fall into her hands.

She was _incredibly_ dizzy, and her head was pounding. She could feel the blood rushing through her veins, as she jerked away from the hand resting upon her shoulder.

"Liam! Get off me!"

_She thought he was Liam_.

Brandon tried to remain calm, not knowing how to react to the girl violently shaking in front of him, attempting frantically to scoot away from him. "Callie," He said, gently, "I'm not Liam." She had already blacked out.

Brandon picked her up, bridal style, and brought her towards a nearby bench on the pier. He wasn't sure what to do at this point, she was stirring awake. "Let go of me!" She was still shaking, "LIAM!"

She opened her eyes to find it wasn't Liam's eyes she was staring into, but instead, a set of beautiful green ones that could have only belonged to one person.

_Stupid Brandon Foster_ making her feel emotions, and spill secrets, and he just stared back at her with those _stupid_ pretty eyes and _stupid _perfect face and he just _didn't get it._

"Callie. I'm not Liam." She still scooted away from him, regardless. "Are you okay?" "Does it look like I'm freaking _okay_, Brandon?" Callie spat at him. He looked slightly offended, "I'm sorry, I was just trying to be a good person and ask. I care about you, Callie."

"Like hell you do." She laughed, humorlessly. "Am I supposed to believe you aren't like everyone else? No one _cares_, Brandon. I'm just another trashy foster girl with a twisted backstory that everyone acts like they care about but they don't. They sit there with their judging expressions and read my file, and they send me right back to where I came from. What makes you think I should believe your family is any different?"

"Callie, you are special, and we _do_ care about you. I need you to trust me on that, please." "Liam told me I was special, and you know what he did. How am I supposed to know that you aren't just like him? Huh?" "I'm not like Liam."

"And _why, _exactly, should I trust you? I've got a dead mother, and an alcoholic father, years of mistakes composed into a few sentences, and a scar to prove I'm living a freaking _nightmare._"

She had suddenly become just as harsh as the day she got there.

"You aren't your file." "Yeah? Well you know all my secrets and you can use them against me. Why aren't you running?"

"God, Callie, what is it going to take to get across to you that _I'm in love with you?_" He said, practically yelling it at her.

Her face softened slightly as she turned to look at him. He grabbed her hand as he continued, "you shouldn't trust me because my moms are foster parents. You shouldn't trust me just because we gave you a home. But you should trust me, because I'm in love with you."

She pulled her hand away, getting up, ready to run. How did she know Brandon was telling the truth? She had learned to trust no one; how would she know that his love was real, and not a façade? But his eyes, those _stupid eyes_ looked so genuine and true, and she _wanted to trust him_.

He grabbed her by the arm, spinning her around, and kissed her as hard as he could. He whispered against her trembling lips, "Callie, I need for you to trust me." She tentatively kissed back, moving her lips ever so slightly against his, and it was then that she knew it was true.


	2. Chapter 2

The kiss was something out of a fairytale. Slow, romantic, _passionate_—everything a first kiss _should _be.

Callie didn't want to enjoy it, but she did; way too much.

Brandon's hands trailed down to her waist, as she brought hers up to find the nape of his neck, running her fingers through the silky strands of his chocolate brown hair. His lips were so _soft_, she noticed, as they moved expertly against hers; neither one caring to break for air. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle.

Suddenly, _Brandon's_ lips left hers, leaving them feeling cold and bare, but his forehead rested gently on hers. She could feel his warm breath blowing softly against her mouth, and his hands still situated upon her hips. They hadn't left each other's arms as their eyes opened, both gasping for breath.

Brandon smiled at her, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

She wanted to cry, but instead, she laughed. She laughed like she never had before, a melodious sound, with a smile that could light up the night sky. Though pleasantly surprised, Brandon was confused. "What's funny? Why are you laughing?"

"My mom used to do that."

"Do what?"

"Tuck my hair behind my ear. It just reminded me of this one time when I was little that Jude whacked her with a hairbrush, that's all." Her smile faded, and a tear slipped down her cheek.

"I miss her. My mom, I mean. She used to bring us here all the time, actually. That's why I ran here." Callie took Brandon's hand and led him over to the other side of the pier. "This was our favorite bench." She pointed to it. "We used to sit here. Me, her, and Jude once he was old enough, and get ice cream. It was always on Saturdays, and I can picture myself running around with a melting vanilla cone; Jude toddling around behind with chocolate running down his chin."

She sat down, and her lip began to tremble as her eyes watered. "We were so young. And _innocent_. Carefree, even." Her voice cracked. "And look how I am now." She broke down. Brandon wiped the tears away from her face.

"Please don't cry, Callie. I hate it when you cry. I'm sure your mother would have loved to see how you are now. You are so _beautiful_." This just made her cry more.

"Did I upset you?" "No, not at all." "Then why are you crying?"

"No one has ever called me beautiful before."

He took her in his arms. "You deserve to hear it a million times. You are stunningly beautiful. I have to catch my breath every time I see you, and I'm not just saying that. I'm completely serious, Callie. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

Again, he took his thumb and brushed a tear from her cheek. He was staring at her. She leaned in to his hand.

"I liked it, you know." She whispered. "When you kissed me."

He flicked his eyes down to her lips. Hesitantly, he asked, "May I do it again?" She nodded. He cupped her face with his hands, and put his lips on hers, briefly. It was short, but sweet. She smiled against his lips.

"You're smiling."

"This may sound weird, but kissing you makes me feel like I'm a kid again, if that makes any sense. I feel like I'm that carefree little girl dancing around the pier with ice cream. I don't have any worries, or pain, or regrets." She gave him another kiss.

"But the fact of the matter, is that I'm not that girl anymore. Now, there's an issue that we haven't addressed, here. Why, exactly, did you follow me, Brandon?"

"Because I love you."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Why _not? _People don't always fall in love for a reason, Callie. There's too many reasons out there. But all I know is that I love you, and I needed to help you."

"Brandon?" She asked. "Mhm?" She was afraid to meet his eyes. "I can't say it back." He was silent for a moment.

"That's okay."

"It is? You aren't mad?" "Do you trust me?" "Yes. I do. I trust you, Brandon." "Then isn't that the same thing? You trust me, and I love you. They equate to the same thing." She smiled at him. "I suppose they do. And you know, just because I can't say I love you, doesn't mean I _don't_. Remember that. I just need some time. I can't jump into things that easily."

"I know. I'm so proud of you for what you did tonight, I want you to know that." "It was scary, but I'm glad I told them. Thank you, for being there for me, Brandon." "Always." "

Callie checked the time on her phone. "We should probably head home. It's late and your moms are probably wondering where we are." "You're probably right." They turned to go, heading up the street towards their home.

"Hey, Brandon?" "Yes, Callie?"

"Can you hold my hand? Just until we get home, I mean."

"Of course."

He intertwined their fingers, loving the feeling of how their hands fit together. They walked home like that, under the streetlights hand-in-hand, feeling much better than the afternoon preceding, and not worrying about the consequences laying ahead. They were just—_Brandon and Callie._


End file.
